Electrical connecter



D D u R H H ELECTR I QAL CONNECTER Filed Oct. 14, 1936 Patented pr. 19, 1938 ELEQTIRIICAL CONNECTER poration of Delaware Application October 14!, 1936, Serial No. 105,578

Claims.

This invention relates to electrical connecters, and more particularly to connecters of the type commonly known as live line clamps.

Live line clamps may be used for connecting any two wires or conductors but are especially useful for connecting a tap line or branch to a live line or conductor without cutting the latter or otherwise interfering with current flow through the same.

An object of this invention is to provide a live line clamp of a simple construction which reduces the machining and threading of the parts to a minimum. An object is to provide a live line clamp of the rocker arm type in which the rocker arm is pivotally supported upon the base member by a link that may be somewhat resilient under the normal clamping stresses, thus insuring a firm clamping action over a comparatively wide range of adjustment of the clamp bolt. An object is to provide a live line clamp of the type including a pivotally supported rocker or clamp arm, and in which the rocker arm rests upon and is held to a bearing seat by a pivot loop or link.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention; and 3 Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, in place on the live line and carrying a tap line.

In the drawing, the reference numeral I identifies the rugged upper end portion of the base member which is preferably formed as a casting of malleable bronze or other metal of good thermal and electrical conductivity. The base member terminates in a sleeve 2 into which the clamp bolt 3 is threaded, the upper end of the bolt threads being preferably burred, as indicated at 3', to prevent the accidental removal of the'bolt from the sleeve 2, and the lower end of the bolt being formed as a ring t for receiving the head of the customary fuse-hook of a switch stick.

The upper surface of the base member I has a transversely extending semi-cylindrical rib 5 that fits within a complementary groove at the central portion of the rocker arm 6 to form a bearing seat for the rocker arm. The outer end to of the rocker arm overlies the sleeve 2 for engagement by the clamp bolt 3, and the tail 6b of the rocker arm flares away from the strap 1 to form a guide for placing the clamp on a live line L. The op posed surfaces of the arm 6 and base I have sets of complementary clamp surfaces 8, 8', respectively, for receiving line conductors of different sizes.

A pivot loop or link 9 extends around the member i and arm 8 to take up the reaction of the clamping pressures when the clamp is in use. The link is seated on the base i in a recess between the sleeve 2 and an integral lug i0, and the link is pivotally connected to the arm 6 by the bent end of a malleable lug H. The plane of the link 9 passes approximately through the axis of the bearing seat 5, but the floating connection of the parts permits the link to move angularly in accordance with the size of the line conductor and the clamping pressures. The link Q is relatively short and retains the rocker arm on the bearing seat 5 when the bolt 3 is backed ed.

The strap l merges into a boss it that has a non-circular, and preferably square, bore for receiving the non-circular and'transversely apertured head end it of a bolt that is clamped to the tap line T by a nut M. The extension l5 of the strap beyond the boss if! has lateral projections it that may be bent around the tap line T to hold the anchored end of that conductor in line with the terminal strap. The parts of the clamp may be cast in metal molds to provide smooth surfaces for the bearing seat 5 and cooperating surface of the rocker arm, or the parts may be rough cast and machined or coin-pressed at the bearing and the line clamping surfaces. The relatively long bearing seat 5 and the guide action of the opposite sides of the link 9 limit the twisting of the rocker arm on the base member but provide sufficient play for a self-alignment of the clamp parts upon a conductor when the grooves 8, B are not exactly parallel to each other or to the efliective pivotal axis of the rocker arm.

The link 9 is somewhat resilient under the pressures usually employed in securing the clamps to a line, and the clamp bolt 3 can therefore be rotated after a relatively firm clamping engagement with the line L is obtained. This resiliency of the link 9 is highly desirable as it tends to eliminate the faulty connections that are produced with other forms of live line clamps by slight backing off of the bolt 3 when the operating hook is being removed from the ring 4. There is a relatively wide range of adjustment of the clamp bolt 3 throughout which adequate clamping pressure is produced at the line L and the clamp will not loosen on the line under temperature changes and vibration when it is initially applied under something more than the minimum pressure that will give a firm clamping action.

While I have described a preferred method of assembling the clamp by bending the lug H about the link 9, it will be apparent that a split link blank may be used, or an elongated link may be slipped over the parts and then pressed to expand it laterally and shorten its effective length. The term substantially closed link, as used in the following claims, designates a member of the general form ofan oval chain link whether the ends of the link blank are welded to form a completely closed link or are adjacent each other but not welded together.

It is to be understood that there is considerable latitude in the design and relative proportions of the parts, and that many changes may be made in the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A live line clamp of the type including a base member, a rocker arm, a bolt carried by said base member and engaging one end of the rocker arm to force the opposite end towards said base member, and fulcrum means forming a pivot for said rocker arm when said bolt exerts clamping pressure upon one end thereof, characterized by the fact that said fulcrum means comprises a substantially closed link.

2. A live line clamp comprising a base member, means for connecting a tap line to said base member, a rocker member, means mounting the rocker member on said base member for pivotal movement of the rocker arm about its central portion, and means for forcing one end of said rocker member away from said base member to carry the opposite end into clamping engagement with a line conductor positioned between said rocker member and base member, said mounting means comprising a substantially closed link forming a fulcrum for said rocker arm when the latter clamps a line conductor to the base memher.

3. A live line clamp comprising a base member, means for connecting a tap line to said base member, a rocker member, means pivotally mounting the rocker member on said base member, and means for forcing one end of said rocker member into clamping engagement with a line conductor positioned between said rocker member and base member, said mounting means comprising a substantially closed link extending around said members and constituting a pivotal support for said rocker arm.

4. A live line clamp as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of said members is malleable and has an integral lug bent around said link to prevent accidental separation of said members from each other and from said link.

5. A live line clamp comprising a base member having means for connecting a tap line thereto, a rib at the upper surface of the bearing member, a rocker member having a groove complemental to and seated on said rib, a substantially closed link pivotally connecting said members for rocking movement of said rocker member'substantially about said rib, a threaded sleeve integral with said base member beneath one end of the rocker member, a clamp bolt threaded through said sleeve, and cooperating clamp surfaces at the other end of said rocker member and the adjacent face of the base member.

6. A live line clamp comprising a base member of malleable metal having an integral sleeve and an integral terminal strap extending from opposite sides thereof, a clamp bolt threaded through said sleeve, a rocker member overlying said base member and having one end flaring away from said terminal strap, the other end of said rocker member being in line with said clamp bolt, cooperating clamp surfaces on said members at the terminal strap side of said base member, a substantially closed link pivotally connecting said members, means on said terminal strap for connection to a tap line, and malleable lugs integral with said terminal strap for bending around a tap line.

7. A live line clamp as claimed in claim 6, wherein said link extends around said members, and each member includes means preventing separation of said members from said link.

8. A live line clamp as claimed in claim 6, wherein said link extends around said members, and said rocker member has an integral lug bent over said link.

9. A live line clamp comprising a base member having an integral sleeve and an integral terminal strap, means on said strap for making connection to a tap line, a bolt threaded through said sleeve, a rocker member overlying said base member, clamp surfaces on said members for engagement with a line conductor when said bolt is forced against said rocker member, and a resilient substantially closed link pivotally connecting said members.

10. A live line clamp as claimed in claim 9, wherein said link is seated against the bottom of said base member between said bolt and a projection on said base member, and said link extends over said rocker member and is secured thereto by an integral lug on said rocker member, said lug being bent over said link.

HAROLD H. RUDD. 

